Island



(Mode1.)'

. S. N. SMITH.

Lacing Hook Stock.

No. 232,561. Patented Sept. 21,1880.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-L TMOGRAIMER wasnmswn u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN N. SMITH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHQDE ISLAND.

LAClNG-HOOK STOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 232,561, dated September 21, 1880. Application filed July 2, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN N. SMITH, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain Improvements in Lacing-Hook Stocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a speeially-pre 'iared metal strip or stock from which to cut blanks for the formation of lacing-hooks for shoes; and the invention consists in taking a narrow uniform strip of brass or similar ductile material, of a width slightly greater than the greatest width of the hooks, and forming in said strips, at regular intervals, central tubular necks, and in providing the same between the necks with round indentations, the indented part to form ultimately a rounded head on the hook. The necks are drawn down by a series of punches and dies in successive steps until of suitable size and length to serve as a means of attaching the hooks to the shoe, and have their ends punched through and left open. They are located, as stated, at uniform dis tances apart, the distance being slightly greater than the length of the required blanks. The indentations, which are produced by means of a punch or otherwise, are located between the necks and in line therewith, each indentation being close to a neck, as shown. The blanks will be punched or cut lengthwise from the strip end to end, each blank embracing, as in dicated by the dotted lines, one of the necks and one of the indentations at opposite ends.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 bend out of shape when in use.

to the full length desired without straining or rupturing the metal and without rendering them so brittle as to require annealing, thus,

permitting the remaining portion of the hooks to remain hard and stilt, so that they will not The use of the stock in the manner shown also reduces the amount of labor required, the expense of working, and the amount of scrap or Waste.

I do not claim, broadly, a metal strip having tubular necks thereon; but

What I do claim is- The herein-described stock for shoe-lacing hooks, consistingot' the metal strip of slightly greater width than the required hooks, provided with the series of alternate necks and indentations.

STEPHEN N. SMITH. Witnesses SANFORD O. HOVEY, GILMAN E. J OPP. 

